Improvement in bee-hive protectors



atmet l itin. t

ALFRED S.JOIISON,*OF vAVVAUPUN7 WISCONSIN, ASS-IGNOR TO HIM- 'SELFAND LYlVIA-N B. BALOOM, OI*1 SAME PLACE. 1

yLetters Patent No. 83,388, dated October 27, 1868.

IMPROVElVlfIEiN'ii.1 IN 'BEE-RIVE PROTECTORS.

The Sehedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To'rall whom it lmaf/ 1] concern Be it known that I, ALBERT S. JoHNsoN, ofWaupun,

. in the county ofFond-du-Lac, and State of Wisconsin,

have vinvented a new and useful Improvement in Bee Y Hive Protectors; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompany ing drawings, forming part of this specification, in which thel drawing represents a perspective View of my invenf tion. u i

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to a simple and economical device for. protecting bee-hives from the cold of Winter and the heat of summer.

Various plans have been devised to effect this result,

some oi' which have been attended with great expensein the constructionormanufacture, and others-quite ineiiicient,on account of the diilculty of applying them.

My invention consists in constructing a box or case of paper, formed of one or more thicknesses, and covered orcoat'cd with any suitable paint or varnish, to render it water-proof.' This box or case is provided with a shield, to cover the bee-entrance of the hive,

over which the case is placed, the shield'being designed to prevent the entrance ofthe sun into the hive through the bee-entrance.

A represents a box or case, constructed of one or more thicknesses of paper, or papier-mache', which substances are non-conductors, a d form a very eiiicient shield against extremes of temperature.

lhis box or case ismade oi' a form and size corresponding with thehive, so thatthe former may bev fitted over the latter, and removed therefrom, Without any' trouble or difiicul'ty whatever.

The box or case may be secured in position by strings or other suitable fastenings, and ashield or projection, a, of any suitable material, extends from one side of the box or case, in order to prevent the sun from striking into the bee-entrance.

This device may be constructed by almost any one,

. at averysmall cost, and it possesses the advantage of being' capable of being applied to the hives Where they stand permanently, and wit-hout moving or disturbing themin Vthe least. l Y The shield or piojection a, by preventing the rays ofthe sun penetrating the hive, Will cause the bees to remain in the hive in Winter.

` Bees have never been known to leave ahive in winter, when the temperature without is too low, except allured out by the penetration of the sun into the hive,

and this the shield effectually prevents. 

